The dark side of Melbourne.
I love Melbourne. It is my home town and I have always been proud of it - proud to show interstate and overseas visitors around the wide streets and beautiful old and new buildings. It had the distinction of being named the World's Most Livable City at one time.
But sadly, it has gained a reputation as a violent city. In the last 20 years, there have been more gun massacre-type incidents here than in any other capital city in Australia. But if you take one incident at a time - like the events in America's recent years - they are random killings committed by people who are your average citizen.
Melbourne is not a violent place. It is still a great place to live and work in. Most of its residents are like me - they love it, are proud of it, and are in shock over this senseless killing - something which appears to have been little more than a 'domestic' which got out of hand. Questions to be asked: How the hell did that man get into a nightclub with a gun? What was he doing with a loaded gun, if he had no intention of using it that night?
And finally, when are the law makers going to wake up and do something about these nightclubs that open at 11 pm and close at 5 am? There is more violence on the city streets in those hours than at any other time. No wonder the freeways are littered with cars in the morning. While the working people are heading off for an honest day's work, the morons who have been out 'raging' are driving home under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both). That's why the police take them off the road at that hour of the day. It's about time the law set a curfew for these places, and forced them to open at reasonable hours - 6 pm to 1 am at the latest. Police and ambulance drivers would have less traumatic nights, and the nightclub set would have to be safe at home instead of endangering people's lives, and creating messes in the city for workers to deal with when they arrive to start work in the morning.
But sadly, it has gained a reputation as a violent city. In the last 20 years, there have been more gun massacre-type incidents here than in any other capital city in Australia. But if you take one incident at a time - like the events in America's recent years - they are random killings committed by people who are your average citizen.
Melbourne is not a violent place. It is still a great place to live and work in. Most of its residents are like me - they love it, are proud of it, and are in shock over this senseless killing - something which appears to have been little more than a 'domestic' which got out of hand. Questions to be asked: How the hell did that man get into a nightclub with a gun? What was he doing with a loaded gun, if he had no intention of using it that night?
And finally, when are the law makers going to wake up and do something about these nightclubs that open at 11 pm and close at 5 am? There is more violence on the city streets in those hours than at any other time. No wonder the freeways are littered with cars in the morning. While the working people are heading off for an honest day's work, the morons who have been out 'raging' are driving home under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both). That's why the police take them off the road at that hour of the day. It's about time the law set a curfew for these places, and forced them to open at reasonable hours - 6 pm to 1 am at the latest. Police and ambulance drivers would have less traumatic nights, and the nightclub set would have to be safe at home instead of endangering people's lives, and creating messes in the city for workers to deal with when they arrive to start work in the morning.
posted by Gina E. | 1:37 am
3 Comments:
Gina,
I'm sorry to hear the news. I just posted a positive article about Melbourne. I also sent you an email. Thanks for checking in on me. It means a lot.
Yes, horrible things happen everywhere, but the availability of guns makes things so much worse. How awful, and especially how awful for the good Samaritans who got killed or injured.
Love your cheery blogs, though. I do think that most people are nice. Wish I could have been with you at that blogmeet!
Dear Gina,
I'm in total agreement with what you say. And while I too am a great fan of Melbourne, in the 33 years I've been here I've seen so much change for the worse. In 1974 it was such a welcome change from the violence of the U.S., but now it seems intent on catching up to that dubious standard.
Setting a curfew would be a start, but I think these idiots would still find a way of causing problems, unfortunately. I am so sad for those little girls, left now without a father.
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